It’s been a busy year for AAMA in a lot of ways, but I am proud that we didn’t lose sight of the importance of helping others despite all the association’s activity. AAMA staff is committed to philanthropy in a lot of ways, including participation in World Vision’s Global 6K for Water this past May, as well as a staff volunteer event this past summer at Feed My Starving Children here in Schaumburg, IL. We held our annual backpack build at the Fall Conference in...

I joined the AAMA Marketing Department almost five years ago, and I am proud to be part of a team and an association that is so committed to its hard-working members. AAMA is constantly working toward bettering its member experience and adding to its slate of services and tools offered.In my role as AAMA Communications Coordinator, I specialize in written communications as well as social media. Have you thought about setting up a Facebook Business page for your company, but feel unsure about where to...

For the last four AAMA conferences, I’ve offered social media workshops on a range of topics. It was great to see several of you who participated in those sessions. So far, members have learned how to make the most out of using LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. During the Q&A section of a recent workshop, I got a great question: Which platform is BEST?As I’ve written before, there’s no simple answer to this question. But it got me thinking about why we choose some platforms over...

During GlassBuild America last month, around 8,600 representatives participated in the show and nearly 400 exhibitors displayed. It was a busy industry event, but companies involved in GlassBuild took the opportunity to talk about key industry matters like sustainability, hurricanes and structural glazing sealants. AAMA members had key roles in the show, and their work proved to have environmental and educational relevance in 2018.In the Express Learning part of GlassBuild, Vik Ahuja from thinkstep presented “Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Why You Need Them.” With...

Being an AAMA member has many benefits, but one I’d like to highlight this month is the association’s working relationships with other industry organizations. AAMA currently represents our members in interactions with four organizations: IGMA, ASHRAE, ASTM and NFRC. Members of AAMA staff regularly attend these meetings and representatives from these organizations are welcome to attend AAMA Conferences. This level of industry representation is crucial.IGMAThe Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance (IGMA) is the first group that AAMA monitors, in addition to attending their meetings. IGMA’s industry...

During GlassBuild America last month, many AAMA members took up real estate on the tradeshow floor, showing off what they’ve been innovating in 2018. Several AAMA staff were in Las Vegas, either working in the association’s booth or meeting with industry leaders on the floor and at networking events. I worked behind the scenes to find and share updates from AAMA members posting about the show on Twitter, using the hashtag #GlassBuild. Here are some highlights AAMA members were sharing.Kicking Off the ShowNetworking and Demos    Last...

As many in the western region know, the Buy Clean California Act (Assembly Bill 262) was signed into law last October, requiring state agencies to consider the embedded carbon emissions of industrial products, including steel and glass, when contracting for state-funded infrastructure projects. Last month, AAMA’s Rapid Response Team sent a letter to the California Department of General Services listing its concerns as well as its recommendations to effectively comply with the provisions of this law, while still providing the intended results of the bill’s...

GlassBuild is a force to be reckoned with no matter how long you’ve been in the industry, and AAMA staff and members lived to fight another year. Attendance at the 2018 show in Las Vegas was good and traffic at AAMA’s booth was up compared to the 2016 show in the same venue. We were able to visit with many different AAMA members and connect with several potential members and certification program licensees.The big topic of conversation at the AAMA/IGMA booth was the potential unification...

Two big industry events are happening soon, and both are great opportunities to use Twitter to your advantage when it comes to networking and getting the latest information live. Even if you can’t attend GlassBuild America next week or next month’s AAMA Fall Conference, you can still get the scoop in real time by following each event’s hashtag. Here are some tips to get the most out of an in-person event’s Twitter presence, even if you’re not there.Tip 1: Find out the official hashtag. In...

It’s almost time again for GlassBuild America, the largest annual gathering place for the entire glass, window and door industries in North America. As a co-sponsor, AAMA works with other industry leaders to make each year’s event a success. This year, some new features are being introduced, such as an NGA-sponsored opening reception, a modified Window & Door Dealer Day format and the option to visit industry experts at the Knowledge Bar. If you’ll be in Las Vegas for GlassBuild next week, visit AAMA in booth...